Bruce Swedien

Bruce Swedien (1998)

Bruce Swedien is a Grammy Award-winning audio engineer and music producer. He is known for his work with Quincy Jones.

Swedien is a five-time Grammy winner and has been nominated 13 times. He recorded, mixed, and assisted in producing the best-sold album in the world, Thriller by Michael Jackson. He was the primary sound engineer for Jackson's studio recordings from 1978 to 2001.

He also recorded and mixed for jazz artists such as Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, Quincy Jones, Oscar Peterson, Herbie Hancock and Jeff Oster. His pop work includes Patti Austin, Natalie Cole, Roberta Flack, Mick Jagger, Jennifer Lopez, Paul McCartney, Diana Ross, Rufus, Chaka Khan, Barbra Streisand, Donna Summer, Sarah Vaughan, and the zouk band Kassav'. He worked on the scores for Night Shift, The Color Purple and Running Scared.

On 10 November 2001, he was awarded an honorary doctorate in philosophy from the Luleå University of Technology, Sweden for his achievements as a sound engineer. Swedien also held "masterclasses" at the Swedish National Radio for practicing sound engineers.

Swedien is notable for pioneering the 'Acusonic Recording Process' which involves pairing up microphones together on vocals and instruments when making recordings. This achieved an enhanced roomy ambient sound, some of which is evident on albums produced in collaboration with Quincy Jones on tracks such as "Sounds And Stuff Like That!!", George Benson's "Give Me the Night", and the Michael Jackson albums he worked on.

References

• Swedien, Bruce (2003). Make Mine Music. Norway: MIA Musikk. ISBN 8-299-67561-8.
• Swedien, Bruce (2009). In the studio with Michael Jackson. New York: Hal Leonard Books. ISBN 978-1-4234-6495-2.

External links

• In The Studio with Bruce Swedien
• Archived interview with Mr. Bonzai, November 2006
• Bruce Swedien on Recording, Mixing Michael Jackson
• Bruce Swedien Interview
• Swedien Works With Jennifer Lopez
• Bruce Swedien On Recording Jennifer Lopez
• Bruce Swedien - Microphones Master Class
• An Incredible New Sound for Engineers
• Bruce Swedien's Autobiography 'Make Mine Music'
• Bruce Swedien discusses Jeff Oster